Epidemiology of burns in hospitalized children from the Western Pomerania region in Poland in 1985-2010

Introduction: Burns in children are a serious public health issue all over the world. This paper aims at comparing the frequency and causes of burns in children. Material and methods: A retrospective analysis of medical records of 1230 children treated at Szczecin's burns centre in 1980s and presently was carried out. Results: We have noted that at present hospitalization frequency of burned children has declined 1.7 times. Children who undergo hospital treatment are mostly aged 1-2 (ns) and boys prevail 1.7 times. Infants constitute a high percentage of burn patients (15% and 17%). A proportion of countryside children has decreased (38% vs 28%; p<0.001) while a proportion of town children has increased. Skin burns most frequently resulted from contact with hot liquid (89% vs 83%; p=0.043). The other causes have been noted far less frequently: flame (7% vs 8%; ns), electric current (1% vs 2%; ns), chemicals (0,7% vs 1%; ns) and a few other factors such as: dry heat, sunrays and solarium (2% vs 5%; p=0.002). Conclusions: 1. Over the course of the past 25 years, Western Pomerania has seen a twofold decrease in the frequency of hospitalization of burned children, while the ages and causes of burns have remained the same. 2. Those most often treated are children aged 1-2, mainly boys; there is a high percentage of infants among them. 3. Hot liquid has remained the chief cause of burns in younger children; in the case of older ones, so is flame.